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Attention Rescue and Shelter Organizations: When a Pet Owner Dies Or Becomes Disabled, What Happens to Their Pets?

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Attention Rescue and Shelter Organizations: When a Pet Owner Dies Or Becomes Disabled, What Happens to Their Pets? T H E Latham Letter VOLUME XXX, NUMBER 3 SUMMER 2009 PROMOTING RES P ECT FOR ALL LI F E THROUGH EDUC A TION Single Issue Price: $5.00 IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO YOU, what would happen to me? See page six 2nd Chance 4 Pets is dedicated to reducing the number of pets unnecessarily euthanized due to the death or incapacity of their human caregivers. Photo: Courtesy of Clay Myers www.claymyersphotography.com Designing Effective Reinforcers – Learners tell us what works .................................................. 8 Humane Education in Belize .............................................. 12 The Link in Arizona and Connecticut ........................ 14 & 16 Hippotherapy benefits validated ......................................... 19 Edith Latham’s “To promote, foster, Mandate: encourage and further the principles of humaneness, kindness and benevolence to all living creatures.” The Latham Letter Balanced perspectives on humane issues and activities Subscriptions: $15 One year US; $25 Two years US. Canadian or Mexican subscribers, please add $5 per year for postage. All other countries, please add $12 per year. All amounts US Dollars. Subscribe at www.latham.org Associate Memberships: Support our work and receive exclusive online distribution of each Latham Letter plus 10% discounts on videos, DVDs, and publications. $30 One year; $57 Two years (save $3); $84 Three years (save $6). © 2009 The Latham Foundation for the Join online at www.latham.org Promotion of Humane Education Search the Latham Letter archives by topic and learn more about all our products and services at www.Latham.org or call 510-521-0920. The Latham Foundation, 1826 Clement Avenue, Alameda, California 94501 Printed on recycled paper The Latham Letter Volume XXX, Number 3, Summer 2009 Balanced perspectives on humane issues and activities Editorial Humane Education – a Core Value . 4 By Hugh H. Tebault, III The Latham Letter is published quarterly by The Latham Foundation, 1826 Clement Ave., Alameda, CA 94501. Of Note . 5 Subscription Rates: $15.00 One Year, $25.00 for Two Years How 2nd Chance 4 Pets Exemplifies Publisher and Editor Hugh H. Tebault, III the Human-Companion Animal Bond . 6 Managing Editor Judy Johns Printer Schroeder-Dent, Alameda, CA Design Joann Toth, Fountain Hills, AZ Designing Effective Reinforcers: What Every Teacher and Humane Educator Should Know . 8 The Latham Letter welcomes manuscripts relevant to the Foundation’s interests, but reserves the right to publish such manuscripts at its discretion. By Lynn Loar and Hilary Louie, Evelyn Pang, Michelle Ma, Maya Rankupalli, Geoffrey Pott CONCERNING REPRINT PERMISSION: Permission from the Latham Foundation to reproduce articles or other materials that appear in The Latham Letter is not required except when such material is attributed to another publication and/or Be Kind Belize Teaches Kindness and Empathy . 12 authors other than the editors of this publication. In that case, per- mission from them is necessary. When republishing, please use this By Colette Kase form of credit: “Reprinted with permission from The Latham Letter, (date), quarterly publication of the Latham Foundation for the Promotion of Humane Education, 1826 Clement Ave., Alameda, CA Children and Animals Together (CAT): 94501, 510-521-0920, www.Latham.org. Latham would appreciate receiving two copies of publications in which material is reproduced. Assessment and Diversion Program in Arizona . 14 By Debra J. White ABOUT THE LATHAM FOUNDATION: The Latham Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation founded in 1918 to promote respect for all life through education. The Link Coalition Launched in Connecticut . 16 Foundation makes grants-in-kind rather than monetary grants. Latham welcomes partnerships with other institutions and individuals who share By Phil Arkow and Annie Chittenden its commitment to furthering humane education. TO CONTACT LATHAM: The Human-Animal Bond and Presidential Pets: Voice: 510-521-0920 How Times Have Changed . 18 Fax: 510-521-9861 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.Latham.org Benefits of Hippotherapy Validated by Washington University Research Team . 19 MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Reprinted from the Horses and Humans Ms. Stacy Baar Ms. Denise Cahalan Research Foundation Newsletter Ms. Suzanne Crouch Mrs. Marion Holt (Deceased April 21, 2009) Media Reviews . 20 Mr. Hugh H. Tebault, III Mrs. Mary Tebault Mr. Peter Tebault Mr. James Thornton Put the Pit Bull Paradox to work for you . .23 Ms. Betsy Van Cohen www.Latham.org Summer 2009 / The Latham Letter / 3 Editorial E X P E C T A T I O N S Humane Education – a Core Value Hugh H. Tebault, Latham Foundation’s President with Brother Buzz ver its many years of operation, The Latham since the 1920s. Latham was one of the organizations Foundation has used innovative methods to help that worked to have the education code include such a teach humane education to a changing society. We declaration. Inculcating the principles of humane education have used direct classroom teaching, youth news- seems like such a defined goal, easily stated and understood. Oletters, radio drama, live television programming, Unfortunately, time has now shown otherwise. syndicated television shows, specialty films and books, our Latham Letter magazine, and most recently, the Internet There are some who now misuse the term humane education as tools to share our message. to include only their own philosophy of life – not just the base values that the society has been using. By redefining the The core value of humane education has remained unchanged concept of humane education, these groups have effectively – a strong anchor holding us steady in the rising tide of repurposed the law to support their own ideology and causes moral relativism. Its virtues of empathy, altruism, gentleness, – not at all the intent of the law to teach a commonly defined, honesty, kindness and self-confidence are positive forces narrowly focused “humane education” value set. supporting a wide array of other attributes and beliefs that make up the true melting pot of our society. I recently wrote to a national organization to protest their funding of a political action “humane education” piece aimed For example, to those working on a farm and active in animal at kindergarten to high school. In the K-2 module the teacher husbandry, the humane treatment of animals has a different was instructed to tell the children about animals, to have reality than it does for a person living in a city whose only them draw pictures and mail them to their congressman and relationship to animals is an occasional dog or cat on a leash the White House to support a certain federal bill. I feel there or avoiding droppings on the sidewalk. Yet both can hold must be a firewall between the political action a group may the same value that humane education teaches. Both can choose to do and the materials we call humane education show respect to animals and others in an appropriate way aimed at children. for their life experience every day. Humane education is and should remain a core value and The desire of many to have these common humane education include the teaching of empathy, altruism, gentleness, values taught has been codified in the laws of many states honesty, kindness and self confidence. An California Education Code Section 233.5(a) example Each teacher shall endeavor to impress upon the minds of the pupils the principles of morality, truth, justice, patriotism, and a true comprehension of the rights, duties, and dignity of American citizenship, and the meaning of equality and human dignity, including the promotion of the of harmonious relations, kindness toward domestic pets and the humane treatment of living creatures, to teach them to avoid idleness, profanity, current and falsehood, and to instruct them in manners and morals and the principles of a free government. (b) Each teacher is also encouraged to education create and foster an environment that encourages pupils to realize their full potential and that is free from discriminatory attitudes, practices, code: events, or activities, in order to prevent acts of hate violence, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 233. 4 / The Latham Letter / Summer 2009 www.Latham.org Of Note Latham Letter “Link” Articles Compiled Survey Says: 70% of those surveyed for Your Research say that their companion Convenience animals are definitely family members. As Phil Arkow reminds us, “When people are abused, animals are at risk and when animals are abused, people are at risk.” The Human-Companion Animal Bond (HCAB) Latham has included articles about the link between animal abuse and other Takes Off – literally forms of violence in the Latham Letter since 1994. Those more than 50 articles are now listed in a single document and hot-linked directly to the issue and page where they originally appeared. You can access the Latham Letter LINK Reference page in the News section at www.Latham.org. It’s here! Pet Airways, an affordable pet-only airline. At Pet Airways, the first airline dedicated exclusively to pets, the “pawsengers” fly in the main cabin of a specially equipped plane that is climate controlled for their comfort Summer Travels under the watchful eye of a trained Pet Attendant. Pet Airways’ inaugural cities will be New York (NJ, CT For a list of and direct links to Philadelphia); Washington DC/Baltimore Area; Chicago; Denver, and Los Angeles. 8% of proceeds are donated to pet-friendly hotel and motel chains, Best Friends Animal Society. visit TripswithPets.com Visit www.PetAirways.com for details. www.Latham.org Summer 2009 / The Latham Letter / 5 COVER STORY How 2nd Chance 4 Pets Exemplifies the Human-Companion Animal Bond ike most of us, Los Gatos, California high-tech marketing consultant Amy Shever was profoundly affected by the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. She thought about Lthe families that had been torn apart by the attacks including the approximately 800 pets that were orphaned after losing their The website (www.2ndChance4Pets.
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